Elevator safety device.



c. TONIELLI. ELEVATOR SAFETY DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED IULY 3l, l9l5. 1,209,361, Patented Dea. 19,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Patented Dec. 19,1916.

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C TONIELLI ELEVATOR SAFETY DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED IuLv 3I. I9I6.

S11/ven Foz CARLO TONIELLI, 0F CHERRY, ILLINOIS.

ELEVATOR SAFETY DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dee. 12, 1916.

Application led July 31, 1916. Serial No. 112,305.

To all 'whom t may concern:

j Be it known that I, CARLO TONIELLI, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at Cherry, in the county of Bureau and State of illinois, have invented eertainvnew and `useful Improvements in Eleva-tor Safety Devices, of which the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in elevator safety devices.

rihe primary object of the invention is the provision of an appliance provided in an elevator shaft adapted to coperate with means upon the ear whereby the descent of the car is cheeked in the event of a severing of the hoisting cable while the stopping of the car atthe bottom of the shaft is suitably cushioned.

A further object ofthe device is the provision of a laterally operable cushioning means within an elevator shaft whereby the descending car is cushioned and brought to 4a stop at such position automatically whenever the occasion arises.

. The devlcealso contemplates a means for gently causing an elevator car to cease its `descent at a pre-determined position in the shaft withoutfbeing stopped b. the operator of. the car-and also at any time when the hoisting cable of the ear is severed.

In the drawings `forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views: Figure `1 is a rear elevation of an elevator car partially broken away operatively positioned in the shaft, the car and shaft being provided with the present device. Fig. 2 is a similar view taken from a point adjacent one side of the car. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the car in engagement with the' cushioning stopping device. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the ear with the shaft beams and hoisting cable shown in horizontal section. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail horizontal sectional view taken upon line V-V of Fig. 3, and, Fig. 6 is a similar view taken upon line Vl-VI of Fig. 5.

It being understood that the present device is applicable to any form of elevators, the saine is herein illustrated in connection with a boX form of car 10 arranged within an elevator shaft 11, a hoisting cable 12 being attached to corner rings 13 carried by a rectangular surrounding top wall 14 upon the car top 15 whereby the car is vertically operated substantially centrally o-f the shaft in the usual manner.

The opposite sides 16 of the car are provided withspaced guides 17 freely positioned at opposite sides of vertically arranged beams 18 in the said shaft. Bottom strips 19 are provided in parallel relations upon the bottom of the car arranged upon opposite sides of the beams 18 in a similar manner.

Toothed racks 20 are provided upon the inner faces of the beams 18 arranged outwardly of openings 21 in the adjacent sides 22 ofI the top wall 14. Locking bars 23 are positioned within the inclosure of the wall 111 in an inclined arrangement with their inner ends attached to a loop 24e, the said loop being connected by a cord 25 with the hoisting cable 12 while the outer ends 26 of the said bars aresuitably sharpened adapted for4 engaging the rack teeth 2O in the event of a severing of the cable 12, allowing the bars to fall with the weighted ends 27 positioned upon a central block 28 arranged upon the car topl within the wall 14.

The present provision for causing the car to stop in a cushioned manner consists of a plurality of,` elongated plates 29 Vhinged at their upper ends as at 30 to the walls of the shaft l1. The said plates and cushioning device may be arranged at any point within the shaft llsuch as at the bottom thereof, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Adjusting bolts 81 are pivoted at their inner ends within sockets 32 in the adjacent faces of the plates 29 by means of transverse pins 33 carried by the said plates. rl`he outer ends of said bolts freely project through perforations 34 and the adjacent side wall 35 of the shaft being provided with set nuts 3G screw-threaded upon the outer ends adapted for engaging washers 87 arranged in contact with the said wall 35. Helical springs 38 are provided encircling the bolts 31 positioned between the plates 29 and theV shaft walls 35 preferably seated at their outer ends within sockets 39 of the said walls.

It will be seen that when the plates 29 are sufficiently released by the nuts 36, the springs 38 will position the plates in inclined arrangement within the shaft. A severing of the cable 12 allows the bars 28 to drop downwardly for engaging the shaft teeth 20 and stopping the downward movement of the car. In the event of a failure of the bar 23 to operate, the car will fall to a position for engaging the plates 29 land will be resiliently engaged by such plates as best v illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings whereupon the car will be stopped in its downward travel without injury to the car or its contents. In the event that the operator of the car becomes inattentive from sickness or otherwise, the downward movement of theV car will be so cushioned and stopped by the plates 29 at the bottom of the shaft although the cable 12 is uninjured. The said plates 29 may also be arranged at intermediate points in the shaft 11 and normally maintained retracted flattened against the walls 35 by means of the nuts 36. At such times the car Vmay freely pass the plates 29. In the event that it becomes desirable to automatically stop the downward movement of the car 16 for any reason, such as the occasion of a fire in the building at a point beneath the position of the plates 29, the nuts 36 may be released, allowing the plates 29 to be projected within the downward path of movement of the car, as the car will then be automatically stopped by the plates 29 when reaching the position at which the said plates are located.

A serviceable device is presented by the invention in the nature of a safety device for protecting both freight and passengers in elevator service and providing for the safety of the car throughout its travel in the elevator shaft.

What I claim as new is 1. A device of the class described, comprising in combination with an elevator shaft and a car vertically movable therein, depending plates hinged at their upper ends to the walls of the shaft, substantially horizontally arranged bolts pivoted to the inner faces of the said plates and freely projecting Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents through j surrounding the said bolts between the said plates and walls, and adjusting nuts upon the said bolts outwardly of the said walls.

2. A cushioning stopping device for elevator cars comprising downwardly convergent pairs of opposite plates hingedly arranged positioned at desirable points in the elevator shaft, positioning springs in tensioned engagement with the said plates, and adjusting means for the said springs whereby the plates are positioned Voutwardly of the' path of travel of. the car within the shaft when desired. v

3. A cushioning device for elevators comprising in combination with a walled shaft having a car vertically movable therein, upright guide beams for the said car oppositely arranged within the shaft, pairs of depending plates at opposite sides of the said beams, hinge connectionsbetween the upper ends of the said plates and the adjacent wall of the shaft, adjusting bolts hinged to the said plates and passed through said shaft walls, springs interposed between the elevator shaft walls and said plates, and retracting adjusting means for the said springs carried by said bolts whereby the plates are flatly positioned against the adjacent wall of the shaft when desired. A

4. A safety device for elevators comprising a shaft having side walls, a car vertically movable within the said shaft, depending cushioning platesfor the car hinged at their upper ends to the walls at opposite points within the shaft, springs arranged between the said plates and walls, and adjusting means for the said plates.

In testimony whereof I affix `my signature.

CARLO TON IELLI.

each, by addressing' the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 2D. C.

the said walls, expansion springs Y 

